The present invention relates to an inflatable vehicle safety apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a side impact to a vehicle and/or a vehicle rollover.
It is known to inflate a vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. One particular type of inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain that inflates from the roof of the vehicle downward inside the passenger compartment between a vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle in the event of a side impact or rollover. Such an inflatable curtain is inflated from a deflated condition by inflation fluid directed from an inflator to the inflatable curtain through a fill tube.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof. The apparatus includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. An inflation fluid source provides inflation fluid for inflating the vehicle occupant protection device. The vehicle occupant protection device comprises first and second gas impermeable panels. Stitching extends into the first and second panels and secures portions of the panels together. A first gas impermeable piece is secured to the first panel in a position overlying the stitching in the first panel.